These days free adult entertainment is just a click away for most with internet access in the U.S. and Europe. Some argue that sexual liberation is a sign that society has at last overcome its shame over what is an essential biological function. Others argue it's a sign of moral degradation and a terrible corrupter of youth.

I. Britain Prepares to Disrobe Anit-Porn Plot

British Prime Minister David Cameron, leader of the UK's Conservative Party, is reportedly siding with those who argue that porn is a "nasty, bad, naughty" social apparatus. The UK-based Guardian, the second most read English-language online newspaper in the world, is reporting that PM Cameron will announce plans to whack unfettered access to porn off the net.

The politican-cum-activist borrows his anti-porn agenda from a report by UK-based nonprofit Mothers' Union. As one might imagine this "moral conservative" group is upset about sexualization of society and hopes to return the nation to a more platonic, repressed era.

Elements of its proposed plan, which PM Cameron plans to put, at least partially, into law includes:

Age restrictions on music videos (akin to ESRB ratings on video games).

Bans or quotas on teen-aimed clothing with "sexually suggestive" messages.

A new website -- Parentport (to be launched at www.parentport.org.uk) -- which allows parents to directly complain about internet content. Suggestions will be forwarded to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority, The BBC Trust, Ofcom, the Press Complaints Commission, British Board of Film Classification, and other censorship affiliated organization, which may opt to censor the internet comment, denying UK citizens access to it.

A mandatory opt in for adults to view pornographic content.

II. Replacing Parenting With Gov't Censorship

The mandatory opt-in is a particularly thorny issue. BT (BT), Sky Broadband, TalkTalk (LON:TALK) and Virgin Media, Inc. (VMED) -- some of the UK's largest ISPs -- have reportedly agreed to participate in such a scheme. It is unclear whether existing subscribers would be required to opt in, or merely new ones.

The plot is the culmination of years of lobbying by close colleague of PM Cameron, Conservative Member of Parliament Claire Perry. Ms. Perry, a mother of three, argues that parents should not have to put the effort in to police their childrens' internet use. Rather she feels that the government should thrust itself into the role of playing parent. She argues that censorship has benefited many other aspects of British society, and censoring internet porn fills an important hole in the nation's comprehensive censorship legislation.

Conservative Party MP Claire Perry [Source: BBC News]

She states, "As a mother with three children I know how difficult it is to keep children from seeing inappropriate material on the internet. We already successfully regulate British TV channels, cinema screens, High Street hoardings and newsagent shelves to stop children seeing inappropriate images and mobile phone companies are able to restrict access to adult material so why should the internet be any different?"

III. America Next?

The idea of America's former colonial master censoring the internet may seem offensive to many Americans, but some in America are making similar arguments in favor of beating back the sexually liberated nature of modern society.

Prominent Republican "Tea Party" politician Christine O'Donnell has long suggested that masturbation is a sin, commenting, "The Bible says that lust in your heart is committing adultery. So you can't masturbate without lust."

She supports banning sexual education in schools, suggesting it leads to children being sexually abused. She comments, "[Sex ed] breaks down the natural modesty that exists within children to protect them. Then suddenly talking to that stranger with candy on the playground is not so creepy."

Clearly many fundamentalist U.S. Christian "moral conservatives", like their old world peers, feel that pornography is sinful. And many of these individuals have already effectively argued that the U.S. should be a theocracy, governed by Christian laws and politicians. Thus it might not be surprising to see moral conservatives in the States in the next few years follow in step with the Old World's anti-pornography crusade.

quote: Religion has caused far more warfare, strife and corruption than sexual freedom, and alcohol is (I'm pretty sure) responsible for more unplanned and single parenthoods than any other factor. Can we ban those too please? :P -----------------------------------Thanks for posting the stupidest thing I've heard all month. That was special. ------------------------------------I have to say, this is the dumbest comment I've ever read on DailyTech. And that is saying A LOT! ------------------------------------Thank you MartyLK, way to make Pirks and Reclaimer77 look smart. this comment makes them both look like geniuses in comparison. Thanks though I needed the chuckle, serious was there supposed to be a sarcasm tag in there?

Your sexual urges have you all overpowered, do they?Yeah, that is precisely why the government has to step in and take control, because most people don't have the power of will to control themselves, even though they might deign to want to. The alcoholic, unless they truly want to see a problem, will excuse their vice till they are blue in the face. This holds for *all* things people find themselves overpowered by. Denial is a common affliction among us humans. How about the term, "kill the messenger"? That applies to. Most often, when a person brings to light the abuse of an abuser, the person is scolded and harassed because the abuser just cannot even bring themselves to even dream of confronting the cold, hard truth of their abused vice.

Don't feel alone. The sexual urge overpowerment is common. And it's what gives some women power over some men. But like drugs and other things in life, there has to be a force that controls it for humanity.

You seem to be misunderstanding. I'm not advocating the loss of any freedoms. I'm advocating a safe and secure society. Pornography has done nothing but tear down prosperous societies. And children now have ever greater access to the filth than they ever had in the history of civilization. And there is no end of lowlifes who will cater to them.

And what I say has nothing to do with religion either. A person doesn't have to be religious to be a decent, self-controlled, disciplined human being. Goodness isn't exclusive to religion. I tend to agree with others that religion has done more harm than good. But sexual desires must be controlled. You cannot have control over sexual desires and urges by giving into them. Just ask the alcoholic how well that works. Or ask any addictive personality how well giving into the desire works.

There are a lot of laws that already restrict freedoms. Nobody has the right to murder, rape, rob or harm anyone. Yet I hear no complaints about not having those freedoms. Pornography must be squashed. Consider it another one of those needed restrictions along with murder, rape, robbing and causing of harm. And for that matter, it is illegal to drive a car as fast as you may desire above the limit. We may not approve of that but we all live with it and know it's for our safety. You can't have people driving like maniacs and expect our sons and daughters and wives and husbands...our loved one...to be safe and secure.

Sure! let everyone make up their own rules and limits for driving! Let everyone make up their own rules for when killing another person is acceptable or not! Sure! Let everyone be their own governor about whatsoever they want to do!....

Pretty much anyone who wanted to restrict freedom has used those exact same words. I think the burden is on you as how porn is related in any way to an unsafe and insecure society.

quote: Pornography has done nothing but tear down prosperous societies.

In your own mind perhaps. It's a long debunked hysterical (and religious) argument that has no basis in reality.

quote: And children now have ever greater access to the filth than they ever had in the history of civilization.

And so what? What is the worst thing that could happen? You mean children will actually have some rough idea about how reproduction works? They won't believe in bee/flower and storks stories anymore...People seems to make a big fuss about kids stumbling upon a naked picture of another human being, but the truth is, it's not a big deal unless some retard decide to make them believe it's the end of the world, that they must repent or go to hell, or something.

quote: But sexual desires must be controlled.

And you claim to not advocating the loss of any freedoms. Orwell would be proud.

quote: Nobody has the right to murder, rape, rob or harm anyone. Yet I hear no complaints about not having those freedoms.

Do I really have to explain it to you? Those actions infringe on someone else freedom. Basically, it's legal to go to a random stranger on the street and say "let's have sex"; if you force yourself on her, it becomes illegal. Simple enough for you?

quote: Pornography must be squashed. Consider it another one of those needed restrictions along with murder, rape, robbing and causing of harm

Actually, I don't. Comparing pornography to murder and rape is such a breathtaking inanity that I'm actually ashamed that we both belong to the same species.